"Wood’s work seemed like snapshots of a lush and vibrant reality where even madmen, monsters and mayhem possessed a stately grace. There might be pandemonium but, oddly, the panic never seemed to reach the eyes of Wood’s regal heroes." – Geoff Boucher, The Los Angeles Times

"Legendary artist [Wally] Wood mastered every comic-book genre—humor (he was one of Mad's first artists), horror, superheroes, war—but is best known for the 1950s science-fiction stories he drew for EC Comics, in which, one commentator noted, he 'began drawing things into panels that no human being seemed capable of before.' His heroic spacemen, intricate rocket ships, and frightening aliens embodied classic space opera, and his influence remains visible in the work of many leading comics artists today." – Gordon Flagg, Booklist

Wallace Wood fans love his sleek, preternaturally lush art, but they especially love the wonderment of his spectacular science fiction. This highly anticipated mouth-watering collection features over two dozen stories brimming with Wood’s meticulously detailed, genre-defining brushwork—all save the one Wood wrote himself on the typewriter of EC editor Al Feldstein. And with titles like "Spawn of Mars," "The Dark Side of the Moon," "A Trip to a Star," "The Invaders," "The Secret of Saturn's Ring," and "The Two-Century Journey," how can you go wrong? This is EC science fiction at its finest. Like every book in the Fantagraphics EC line, Spawn of Mars and Other Stories features essays and notes by EC experts on these superbly crafted, classic comic book masterpieces.

The 1950s were also a launching pad for some of the greatest comic book artists in history, many of whom worked for EC—including Wallace Wood, whose hypnotically detailed, lushly expressive brushwork brought to life menacing thugs, ominous cityscapes, and small-town America, as well as Everymen grappling with profound moral issues—not to mention some of the most heart-stoppingly beautiful women ever to sashay across a comic book page.

Like every book in the Fantagraphics EC line, Spawn of Mars features extensive essays and notes on these classic stories by EC experts — but the real "meat" of the matter (sometimes literally, in the grislier stories) is supplied by these often lurid, sometimes downright over-the-top, but always compelling and superbly crafted, classic comic-book masterpieces.

On this gloriously sunny fall day, we are excited to offer a sneak peek of our advance printer copies of the next EC Comics Library volume—Spawn of Mars and Other Stories! We're having a hard time keeping our hands off this beautiful hardcover book, which highlights the great Wallace Wood's science-fiction themed stories.

From now until Friday at 11pm EST, comiXology has all our delicious, delightful, terrifying and tittillating EC Comics on sale. All ten titles currently in our store are only $10.99, that's over 50% off from the usual $22.99. From Wallace Wood to Al Williamson, Graham Ingels to Johnny Craig, Joe Orlando to Jack Davis, they are here with tales befitting the festivities and your worst nightmares.

BUT WAIT - behind you there's - gotcha, not a killer but more! There are also some other classics to spook, thrill and scare you. Four Color Fear, Steve Ditko and the Joe Kubert Archives are filled to the brim with ink-and-blood-soaked tales and on sale to boot. But just like the high of a sugar rush, they are only here for a little while so grab the sales now before you crash.

"All of these books are essential purchases for comics fans… These are the books that best show off how EC took genre stories seriously, striving to create comics that didn’t treat readers as naive or ignorant." – The Los Angeles Times

"…I am not only appreciative…but also very impressed. [The books] are spectacular packages of their featured artist and their stories." – Al Feldstein

Check out the full list of books below, and snap one up while you can. Some of these are in very limited supply!

Beasts! Book 1 by various artists; edited by Jacob Covey

A classic mythological menagerie, comprised of creatures that were thought at one time to actually exist, depicted by about a hundred acclaimed artists and cartoonists. Now in softcover after 2 sold-out hardcover editions.

Like the first book, this deluxe collection includes a Who’s Who of the contemporary art world, collectively crafting a menagerie of mythological creatures, monsters, beasts and things that go bump in the night.

One of the most impressive graphic novel debuts in recent years, a sweeping, magisterially conceived, visually startling tale of violence, amorality, fortitude, and redemption, one part Melville, one part Peckinpah.

Ott plunges into the darkness with five graphic horror stories in his hyper-detailed scratchboard style. Ott's plot twists will delight fans of classic horror; his artwork will haunt you long after you put the book down.

A fascinating, full-color compendium of extremely rare devil postcards spanning approximately 1898 through the 1950s, with over 150 full-color examples of these exquisite cards, culled from the finest postcard collections throughout the world.

A glorious bastard, combining the intricacy and subtlety of the best European comics with a hyperdetailed, controlled noir style derived from the finest American cartoonists into interrelated tales of (mostly) interiorized violence.

The second installment in this creepily sexy suburban soap opera — a sprawling and intricate tale of a community haunted by obsession, rage, regret and despair — in sum, a graphic novel for the 21st century.

A crew of undead pirates roams the seven seas, seeking release from their cursed existence. After one murderous conquest, they find a little pink baby who they adopt as their "King." A classic tale newly adapted by a French master.

Night is coming and the local baby-sitters club needs an extra sitter. That strange new family in town is expecting four warm bodies... Peculia, that mysterious and clever young waif, returns in her first full-length story!

This gorgeous grimoire is part alchemy, part art book, part storybook, part comic book, and part conceptual art, a broken jigsaw puzzle of a book starring two childlike imps whose irresponsible antics get them into horrific trouble.

Woodring's drawings take his comics' otherworldly qualities to new levels of clarity and nuance, exploring hidden worlds, alternate realities and the inexplicable resonance of the unprecedented and irrational in lucid art.

Classic stories starring Dog Boy and Mister Blister, as well as several tales of doomed romance and creepy revulsion, plus a collection of sketchbook excerpts, covers and illustrations, in an affordable softcover edition!

He lives hand to mouth, this shambling lug of a man, wrestling with his demons and drinking himself into oblivion. Until one day his palms begin to bleed… A stunning, madly expressionistic graphic novel.

Expanded to twice the length of the original edition and completely redesigned, this intimate, revealing look into the life and art of an American original is an essential book for all Gorey fans and scholars.

25 classic horror stories involving swamps, maniacs, and dismemberment by the artist so good at gruesome, grisly depictions of the endless corruption of flesh and nature he earned the nickname "Ghastly."

'Tain't the Meat… It's the Humanity! and Other Stories by Jack Davis & Al Feldstein

Good Lord! Choke! The complete Jack Davis-illustrated Tales from the Crypt stories collected in one convenient, gore-drenched package! The quintessential American horror comic drawn by its quintessential artist.

Reed's song cycle inspired by Edgar Allan Poe is in turn interpreted by Mattotti as a series of vivid, abstracted and enigmatic paintings that bring out all the terror and beauty of this centuries-spanning masterwork.

A creepy-cute all-ages tale about a couple of kids at a Halloween party who stumble into a secret underground society of damaged, forgotten, and pissed-off toys. Imagine Toy Story reimagined by David Lynch & Charles Burns!

For the first time, 33 of the best stories from Kubert's early career, collected in one full-color volume, in a glorious variety of genres with a special emphasis on horror and crime. Meticulously restored, with historical notes.

George Evans was a master of the aviation war story. This collection includes all of his highly-acclaimed stories for Aces High, EC's famous air war title. As a bonus, we present a rarity: Evans's never-before-reprinted 3-D story of World War I ace Frank Luke (in regular, easy-on-the-eyes 2-D). This volume also includes numerous Evans crime and shock stories, including "As Ye Sow...," "...My Brother’s Keeper," and "Cadillac Fever." Other war stories, many done in collaboration with Harvey Kurtzman, include "Napoleon!" and "Flaming Coffins" (which Evans wrote, about the inherent perils of WW I aircraft). Like all books in the Fantagraphics EC line, Aces High features essays and notes by EC experts on these superbly crafted, classic comic book masterpieces.

We have some amazing Halloween treats in store at Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery: Vintage copies of mid-60s Creepy and Eerie. These issues are from the estate of the late Gary Arlington, famed EC comics collector and proprietor of the San Francisco Comic Book Company, widely regarded as the country's first comic book shop. (As seen in the photo below by Patrick Rosenkranz.) The magazines feature mid-century masters like Jack Davis, Wally Wood, Frank Frazetta, Alex Toth, Reed Crandall, Steve Ditko, John Severin, and more. Own a monstrous piece of comix history for only $8.95.

Speaking of history, don't miss the Georgetown Haunted History Tour this weekend. This annual event provides a playful look at the eerie history of Seattle's oldest neighborhood. Wildly entertaining.

The next volume of our critically acclaimed EC Comics Library series takes us into outer space via the fine, meticulous brushwork of legendary cartoonist Wallace Wood. Spawn of Mars and Other Stories will collect over two dozen stories written by Al Feldstein, including such science fiction titles as "The Dark Side of the Moon," "A Trip to a Star," "The Secret of Saturn's Ring," and, of course, "Spawn of Mars."

And for you eager fans asking about our next EC box set, fear not! We'll have more updates for you soon here on the Flog. Plans are solidly underway to begin putting together our next luscious EC Comics Library Box Set!